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Share(יד) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט) כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹקִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם...
(14) He [Rabbi Akiva] would say: Beloved is man, since he is created in the image [of God]. A deeper love - it is revealed to him that he is created in the image, as it says (Genesis 9:6): "for in God's image He made man."...
- What do all human beings have in common, according to Rabbi Akiva?
- What do you think being in God’s image means?
- What are the implications of this idea for how we see ourselves and how we see one another?
תני רבי אבהו קמיה דר' יוחנן העובדי כוכבים ורועי בהמה דקה לא מעלין ולא מורידין אבל המינין והמסורות והמומרים היו מורידין ולא מעלין
Apropos the notion of raising someone from or lowering him into a pit, the Gemara notes that Rabbi Abbahu taught the following while standing before Rabbi Yoḥanan: With regard to gentiles and shepherds of domesticated animals, one may not raise them from a pit, and one may not lower them into a pit. But the heretics, and the informers, and the apostates [vehameshummadim] are lowered into a pit, but not raised out of it.
- What might be problematic about this text?
- What drives someone to prize one’s in-group over an out-group?
- What would cause someone to categorically not support an out-group?
...חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יד) בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם. חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה שֶׁבּוֹ נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ד) כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם, תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ:
...Beloved are Israel, since they are called children of the Omnipresent. A deeper love - it is revealed to them that they are called children to God, as it says (Deuteronomy 14:1): "You are children of the Lord, your God." Beloved are Israel, since a precious instrument has been given to them. A deeper love - it is revealed to them that the precious instrument with which the world was created has been given to them, as it says (Proverbs 4:2): "For a good lesson I have given to you; do not forsake my teaching."
- What distinguishes Jews from other nations here?
- What does distinctiveness because of the Torah vs. being children to God suggest about Jewish distinctiveness? Jews as family relative to one another; shared heritage; shared values
- Does this seem like a satisfactory answer?
(א) אֵין מַעֲמִידִין בְּהֵמָה בְּפֻנְדְּקָאוֹת שֶׁל גּוֹיִם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל הָרְבִיעָה. וְלֹא תִתְיַחֵד אִשָּׁה עִמָּהֶן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת. וְלֹא יִתְיַחֵד אָדָם עִמָּהֶן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל שְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים
(1) One should not leave cattle in the inns of non-Jews, for they are suspect regarding bestiality. A woman should not be alone with them for they are suspect regarding fornication. A man should not be alone with them, for they are suspect regarding the spilling of blood.
- What do we think or feel about this categorical statement about people of other nations?
- Is fear for one’s life a serious motivating factor or simply a pre-text or prejudice?
- How far can fear of another go? Does this go too far or does it just reach the line of what is a reasonable reaction to seeing a threatening person in need of help?
מאירי, בית הבחירה על יומא פה.
פיקוח נפש אין הולכין בו אחר הרוב, כיצד? חצר שהיו בו ישראלים ועובדי אלילים עמהם, שאין אנו מצווים לחלל שבת עליהם אחר שאין להם שום דת… [בדפוםים אחרים: ועובדי כוכבים ומזלות הקדמונים שאין אנו מצווים לחלל שבת עליהם אחר שאין להם שום דת וגם אינם חוששים לחובת חברת האדם]...
Meiri, 13th C Provence, Beit HaBechira, Yoma 85a
...A courtyard that had Jews in it and idolaters with them - for we are not commanded to desecrate the Sabbath for them inasmuch as they do not have any religion [in other texts: and we are not commanded to desecrate the Sabbath for the idolaters of earlier times inasmuch as they do not have any religion and they are also unconcerned with the responsibilities of human society.]…
- Does fear/prejudice, or unethical/lawless character justify devaluing the life of someone else?
- Can one ever lose their rights?
אין ממחין ביד עניי נכרים בלקט בשכחה ובפאה מפני דרכי שלום: ת"ר מפרנסים עניי נכרים עם עניי ישראל ומבקרין חולי נכרים עם חולי ישראל וקוברין מתי נכרים עם מתי ישראל מפני דרכי שלום:
§ The mishna teaches: One does not protest against poor gentiles who come to take gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the produce in the corner of the field, which is given to the poor [pe’a], although they are meant exclusively for the Jewish poor, on account of the ways of peace. Similarly, the Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 5:4): One sustains poor gentiles along with poor Jews, and one visits sick gentiles along with sick Jews, and one buries dead gentiles along with dead Jews. All this is done on account of the ways of peace, to foster peaceful relations between Jews and gentiles.